Denver Downs

Denver Downs Farm is one of our favorite traditions each year. There is so much to do and it puts you the fall spirit. We asked the Rehns to join us this year. Craw went immediately to the trampoline. We then let him go down the slide a couple (10+ times) before they arrived and we jumped on a hay ride. They were doing a reenactment of the Civil War and had people dressed up from that time era.

 

 

Ashley and I on the hayride with Maddox and Sutton. Sutton was great and just looked all around.

Tyler, Maddox, Brad, and Craw

This was new this year. They  had these giant pipe like things and you could race other people who were running in them like hamsters.

 

Craw had to take a ride in the cow train.

We played in the "corn boxes"

We always intend to go on a cool crisp fall day but we always end up there when its in the upper 70s and it's so hot. We had a great time for a few hours but after that everyone was getting hot and tired so we took a family photo before heading out.

 



Sutton 4 months

4 months seems so old! I can't believe you are no longer a newborn! The time just flew and you are now a smiling, hand sucking, wiggling 4 month old! I love my mornings with you. The first smile you crack at me when I come to get your from your crib just melts my heart. Watching the way a bath can calm you down no matter what mood you are in is another favorite time!

4 Month Stats

Weight -- 12 pounds 4 ounces (~16%)

Height -- 24.5 inches ( 57%)

 The doctor says "you look perfect" I don't think there is any better news than that to hear from the

       doctor

 You are serious like your brother. However, when you are sucking on your paci and someone  

      starts talking to you you will crack a smile as your paci falls out and it is soo cute

You sleep in your mama roo for your naps and nap for 1-2 hours 3 times a day and take 1 30 min cat nap

 You always sleep in your crib for bedtime. You sleep swaddled with your miracle blanket and then a swaddle me blanket over it. You can now flop your legs to turn yourself in circles and it is making me nervous so we will be breaking the swaddle soon. You sleep wonderfully at night. Sometimes I have to come and put your paci in your mouth but we never had to feed you in the middle of the night so that is a great victory. (You sleep from 7:30-8 till 7-8 depending on the day)

 You usually suck your paci when you are going to sleep and then it falls out. You don't like to suck on in other than when you are getting sleepy

You loooove sucking on any and all fingers. It doesn't matter if you can figure out how to get one or three in your mouth you are sucking on them. You haven't figured out how to coordinate them on a consistent basis though.

 You wear size 1 diapers

You wear size 3 month clothes.

 You don't stare at us while we are eating quite the same when Craw did. You don't seem to fixate on us when we are eating so we are going to hold off on solids for a little while

You still have these beautiful blue eyes. I can't remember when Craw's eyes started to darken but for now yours are a pretty blue!

 You are exclusively nursing every morning at 7:30 feeding. Then depending on my work schedule you will eat again at 10:30, 2, 5, and 7:30 or 8. You do great with bottles and nursing except at night. You started to seem extra hungry after nursing before bed. I would spend almost an hour switching you back in forth trying to fill you up. I finally started topping you off with 2 ounces. Well now some nights you just sccccream until I get you a bottle. Tonight was the first night I just did a bottle to relieve us all from the stress that accompanies the last feed.

You were taking 4 ounce bottle of milk but after seeing the doctor he suggested I try to increase them by about an ounce to get you back on the growth curve a little bit.

 I don't get out much with you but when Craw is in school and I take you to the grocery, target or the mall you have done great. You just look around while sucking on your paci.

You can roll from your back to your stomach. I am normally holding you are moving around following your brother so I don't set you down a lot. Nana and Papa see you roll a lot more because you will just lay on the floor while Craw plays in the playroom.

 You will always eat and then play for an hour to 1.5 hours before going back to sleep. This is probably the thing that is the most different between you and Craw. He always fell asleep nursing. You never do not even at night. You are always awake and alert after eating.

You always want someone to be holding you upright (and prefereably standing with you). You don't like being reclined and you will try so hard to sit yourself upright if you are not sat in that position.

You love bath time.

 You still do great when you are outside but aren't a fan of walks (probably due to the reclined position)

 Did we mention you hate the car and you are still quite fussy?! We love you angel ; )

 Nicknames-- Suttina, stinker, baby girl, Tini topper, Tina, boopsy boopsy girl,

My favorite thing is to hear Craw pick up on what we call you and he says it in his sweet toddler voice. He will say "oh tell us all about it"

I love how the older you get the harder these pictures are. I think okay she's in a great mood let's go take some pictures and then we get about 20 where you are doing other things and 0 of you smiling!

However, once the pressure was off I got you smiling up a storm. I just adore your sweet smile.

Daddy takes you on the porch a lot while I work. They have a tv out there and Craw will watch tv and you will just sit in the bouncy seat (Craw would never ever sit in this so we are grateful that you will hang in here sometimes)

Sweet girl I just want to eat you up!

Aunt Cat bought you a lovi paci clip and it's just the sweetest

Aunt Cat has the magic touch per usual for getting you to fall asleep in places you would never sleep for me. Here we are downtown at he Saturday market and you are just snoozing on Aunt Cat with all the loud noise in the background.

I mean we wish Aunt Cat lived closer she is just sooo wonderful with babies and I am jealous of how S will just relax and sleep on her!

While I may not be the best at soothing her to sleep I can get baby girl to smile!

Since everyone says you look just like Craw and your dad I appreciate the picture below because it actually looks somewhat like me as a baby.

Love your blue eyes below

cuddle time with daddy while mommy gets ready for a Saturday at work.

Daddy is sooo great with the kids on the weekend. I can just see him totally entertaining them all day and they just love him!

When it's my day off with her it's back to playing dress up! These are the clothes I have dreamt of putting my sweet girl in. I just can't stand to watch her grow.

We met Ashley and her mom for lunch. She did soo great and she was all smiles!

Since we decided it was time to break the swaddle Brit sent me what she used to break H of the swaddle. She looks so peaceful below but apparently it was very short lived!

The sweet kids are so confused about which football team they are supposed to like.

I can't believe another month has come and gone. We love watching you grow and your sweet brother talking to you is just the cherry on top!

Dollywood Trip Fall 2014

Craw fell in love with DollLywood. When the Redds said they were gearing up for a fall trip to Dollywood we knew Craw would have a ball. We were a little nervous about taking Sutton in the car. The first 30 minutes went great....and then next 2.5 hours were AWFUL. We are talking full on screaming where it sounded like she wasn't taking breaths. I got in the back to keep my eye on her and it was soo nerve wracking. We were all verrrry relieved when we pulled into the hotel. Shortly after Bobby, Amy, Hope, Carter and the Redds and Ballews pulled in. The kids were ready for a dip in the pool. They discovered the lazy river outside. After testing the water temp and staring at the tubes Hope decided to be the brave one and try it out. Once they figured out how to sit in the tube without getting wet they were all on board. Poor Bobby had the task of following them around in circles and switching which child was in the front because of course they all wanted to be first. They had a ball until it started pouring rain and then they enjoyed the indoor hot tub. Luckily we got Sutton down and she slept right through the night. We all enjoyed breakfast before heading to the park. We hit up some roller coasters when we got there. Brad and I got to ride 2 roller coasters before it was time to feed S.

 

Craw has talked about riding the fire chaser (a new roller coaster at Dollywood). It looked pretty fast and went backwards and you only had to be 39 inches to ride. Carter braved up as well. The two guys took the boys on the ride. Craw looked at Brad and said "daddy this is pretty scary." and then ten minutes after riding he told me "it wasn't scary at all." but he said let's not ride that again haha. We moved onto the cars (craw's favorite). We then went the kiddie zone. The kids rode the elephants (craw's other favorite), the tea cups, the scrambler and had fun playing games.

Sutton didn't like napping at the park so we took turns holding her and trying to entertain her. I took turns feeding her in the family rooms.

Brad says he never loses at this one carnival game. It's a horse race where you roll balls into these holes and you are racing other people to get the most points. Well last trip Brad won and gave Craw a blue nosed "Marshall" (that is his name), this time when he won Craw wanted red "marshall"

The cousins had a ball running through the park together.

Once the kids were done riding rides we ended the night with dinner at the apple barn. S was at her limit and it was a race to get back to the hotel to get her ready for bed. Once she was settled the kids enjoyed more time at the indoor pool and hot tub. 

The next morning we all enjoyed breakfast before heading to Justus Orchard near Hendersonville to pick apples. Of course the plans sounded great to all those except for the ones stuck in the car with a screaming baby (us). Sutton hatesssss the car and the trip home was no exception. 

We are so grateful for the sweet memories with family. While we learned a lesson about traveling with a baby we also enjoyed watching Craw have the time of his life. He still talks about the lazy river and all the fun rides at Dollywood. Therefore, we created a wonderful memory for Craw and  I am sure in a few years we will never remember all that screaming in the car --I will Brad may not ; )